Vignetter.



A, W. DREYPOOS.

VIGNL'TTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAILZQ, 191$ v1 1 1 8 640 Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

4 2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

fvzwe n 6021' THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHGTU-LITHO. WA HINUIUN, u.

A. W. DREYFOOS.

VIGNETTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.29,1914. 1,1 1 8,640. Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W zine ayes.- jflvenior" W Z %W 001 v fliiofne y.

THE NORRIS PETERS c0, PHUTOVLITHOY, WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER W. DREYIEOOS, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALFTO HENRY OBSTFIELD, OF NEWARK, N EW JERSEY.

'VIGNETTER.

Application filed January 29, 1914.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER W. Dimrroos, acitizen of the United. States, residing in the city of Mount Vernon,county of Vvestchester, and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Vignetters, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a vignetter adapted to be interposed between thecamera and the subject to be photographed.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a vignetting devicehaving two screens capable of being adjusted angularly with relation toeach other whereby to obtain a variable masking of the subject to bephotographed and to provide a simple mechanism for effecting saidadjustment.

Another object is to provide a mechanism for tilting the screens towardor away from the camera lens whereby to secure variations in lightreflection.

A further object is to provide a support for the screens which supportis readily attachable to the camera and which is capable of bodilyadjustments longitudinally, angularly in a vertical plane, and angularlyin a horizontal plane, so as to permit of movement of the screens intovarious positions with respect to the lens.

The device is constructed so that by a simple manipulation of themovable parts, any or all of the several adjustments may be easileffected while the o erator is focusin b the camera. Any desiredvignetting or masking of the photographic subject may be readilyobtained by means of the various adjustments afforded in my improveddevice.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts, which will be fully describedherein and particularly pointed out in the claims.

. v the adjustable vignetting screens in full Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

Serial No. 815,131.

rotating the arm to permit of tilting the screens, and it is furtherprovided with separate means for effecting the angular adjustment of thescreens.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in thedrawings, 1 represents the main supporting tube of the device carryingat' its forward end a bracket 2. A laterally extending arm or shaft 3 isrotatably journaled, at its inner end, in said bracket and at itsopposite end, in the sleeve 4 depending from the rod 5 fixed to thebracket.

The outer end of the rotatable shaft 3, adjacent the bearing l, isprovided with a head 6 in which is secured a pin '7 projecting therefromin a direction normal to the axis of the arm 3, and serving as a pivotor hearing for the vignetting screen holders 01' wings 8. loosely on thepin 7 so as to be movable radially thereabout. Each of the wings isprovided with a plurality of spring clips 9 adapted to removably holdthe vignetting cards or screens 10.

One of the principal features of my inventlon consists in the provisionof card or screen holders which are capable of being adjusted withrelation to each other so that The two wings 8 are mounted the shape ofthe opening between the edges I 1 of the screens and the angularrelation of the screens themselves may be modified as desired. Thescreen holders described are well-suited for the purpose intended butany other suitable form of holders may be employed.

From an inspection of Fig. 3 it will be apparent that according to myimproved construction a wide range of vignetting effects may be obtainedwith a single set of screens.

The screens may be moved equally toward or away from each other toobtain symmetrical openings of various widths, or either or both screensmay be moved so as to vary their angular relation and thereby obtain adifferential masking of the subject to be photographed. By employingscreens of different shapes, further variations in the contour of theopenings may be secured.

To permit of tilting the screens toward or away from the lens, I providethe rotatable shaft 3, with a bevel gear 11, meshing with the gear 12fixed tothe forward end of the shaft 13 which shaft extends centrallythrough the tube 1, and is rotatably supported therein. The rear end ofthe shaft 13 is provided with a hand wheel 1-1 whereby said shaft may beturned, in either direction, so as to tilt the screens in any desiredangle.

A suitable mechanism is provided to effect the angular adjustments ofthe screens with-relation to each other. In the form shown, thismechanism consists of two endwise movable adjusting rods 15. The rodsare preferably of a segmented shape in i cross section and they aremounted in the tube 1 atopposite sides'of the shaft 13, as best seen inFig. 4. Each of the rods is provided, through a part of its length, witha rack-16'engaging one of the pinions 17 The pinions are carried on thespindles 18 which are provided with hand wheels 19 and are supported,transversely of the tube 1, in bearings formed at the ends of the collaror yoke 20, fixed to the supporting tube, nearits rear end. Rigidlyfastened to the shaft 3 is a U shaped bracket 21 having guideways formedtherein for supporting the slidable racks 22. A series of teeth 23,engaging with said racks, are formed in the edges of the wings or screenholders 8 adjacent to the pin 7 on which the wings radiate. The teethare arranged concentrically with the pin and are of a suflicient numberto permit of radial movement of the wings,

' each through an are extending a little over a quarter of a circle.

WVhile I prefer to swing the screen holders 8 by means of the racks 22and teeth 23 as shown, any other suitable construction may be employedfor the purpose.

A flexible connection 24:, such as a strand of wire slidable in aspirally wound sheathing, serves to transmit the motion of each of theadjusting rods 15 to its companion rack 22, and thereby to actuate thewings 8. This flexible form of connection, permits of the screen beingtilted with respect to the lens without in any manner interfering withthe operation of the mechanism for adjusting the angular relation of thescreens with respect to each other. By a simple manipulation of eitheror both of the adjusting rods 15, as by means of the hand wheels 19 orother suitable actuating device, either or both, as the case may be, ofthe screens 10 may be raised or lowered into desired position. Suitablefrictional resistance should be provided to maintain the screens intheir adjusted positions; to this end, I employ a tension spring 25which acts against the nut 26, carried on the end of the-pin 7, to pressthe loose friction washers 27 and the loosely mounted wings 8 intofrictional contact with the fixed disk 28. By screwing the nut 26, thetension of the spring 25 may be adjusted as desired. j

A clamp 29, of any suitableconstruction, is provided to support the tube1, and to permit longitudinal adjustment thereof. As shown, the clampconsists of'two members, preferably having their clamping surfaces linedwith leather or other suitable gripping material, held together byscrews 30 and arranged to exert a sufficient clamping action to hold thetube and to permit of its being longitudinally adjusted by merelypushing it forward orpulling it backward. If desired the screws 30 maybe tightened to securethe tube in any adjusted position. In order toprevent the tube from turning, while being adjusted, it is preferablykeyed in the clamp.

To permit of angular adjustments of the vignetter tube in a verticalplane, I provide a second clamp 31 secured transversely to the clamp 29and engaging the boss formed at the outer end of the plate 33 wherebythe vignetter is attached to the camera 34. The'cap 35 at the end ofth'eboss prevents the clamp 31 from slipping off. l Vhen desiredthevignetter may be swung out of the field of the-lens, as shown by thedotted lines in Fig. 1, and held in such positions by tightening theclamping screws 36.

The attaching plate 33 is formed witha slot 38 through which the bolt 37is passed in fastening the vignetter to'the camera. A winged nut 39screwed to the bolt 37, holds the vignetter in place and permits of itsbeing adjusted an'gularly' in a horizontal plane by swinging the plateinto various positions around the bolt as a center.

In compliance with the statutory requirements, I have herein describedand shown a preferred form of the embodiment of my invention but I donot intend to limit myself to the details of construction set forth,

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. In a vignetter, a support adapted for attachment to a camera, aplurality of 'radially adjustable vignetting screens-carried thereon,and means operable from the rear of the camera for separately adjustingeach screen with relation to the others.

2. In a vignetter, a support adapted for attachment to a camera, amasking device carried thereon composed of a plurality of screenspivotally adjustable about a common center, and means for separatelyadjusting each screen.

3. In a vignetter, asupport adapted for attachment to a camera, and amasking device having a vignetting opening of variable contour carriedthereon, said mask being composed of a plurality of screens each ofwhich is capable of independent angular adjustments to vary the contourof the vignetting opening.

i i. In a vignetter, a support adapted for attachment to a camera, aplurality of vignetting screens swingably carried thereon, means forseparately swinging each screen, and means for maintaining the screensin adjusted positions.

5. A vignetter comprising a support, two screens adj ustably supportedthereby, means for tilting both screens as a unit, and means foradjusting each screen in angular relation to the other.

6. A vignetter comprising an adjustably mounted support, a plurality ofscreens adjustably carried thereon, means for tilting the screens withrelation to the support, and means operable from the rear of the camerafor adjusting each screen angularly with relation tothe others.

7. A vignetter comprising a longitudinal adjustable support, two screensadjustably carried thereon, means for tilting both screens as a unit,and means operable from the rear of the camera for independentlyadjusting each screen angularly with rela tion to the other.

8. A vignetter comprising a support, a latorally extended rockable arm,a plurality of screen holders pivotally supported thereon, means forrocking said arm to tilt the screen holders, and means for separatelyswinging each screen holder about its pivot in a lateral plane.

9. A. vignetter comprising a support, a laterally extended rotatablearm, a plurality of movable screen holders radially supported thereon,means for rotating the arm to tilt the screen holders, and meansincluding flexibly connected rods for swinging each holder in a lateralplane into angularly adjusted positions.

10. A vignetter comprising an adjustably mounted tubular support, alaterally extended rotatable arm, two movable screen holders radiallymounted on a pin projecting from said arm, a shaft extending through thetubular support and operatively connected to the lateral arm forrotating the same, two adjusting rods mounted for endwise movement inthe tubular support, means for separately moving each of said rods, twomembers carried on the lateral arm each operatively connected to ascreen holder for moving it about its center, and a flexible connectionbetween each adjusting rod and its companion screen holder actuatingmember.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER W. DREYFOOS.

Witnesses S. G. MAGUIRE, EDNA WILLIAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner 01. Patents,

Washington, D. G.

